HSA Bank Survey Finds Health Plan Education, Cost, and Congress Top of Mind for Industry Professionals

MILWAUKEE, Aug. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- An HSA Bank survey of more than 300 health plan professionals found that the majority (71 percent) believe Americans don't understand their health plan coverage, signaling there is significant work to do when it comes to educating health plan owners on their healthcare options.

HSA Bank conducted the survey at a national conference to gauge industry sentiment on key issues focused on the U.S. healthcare system from the state of the industry to healthcare reform.

According to the survey, 56 percent of respondents reported a reduction in costs for individuals and their families as the most important improvement that must be represented in healthcare reform. Approximately a quarter of respondents (26 percent) feel that increased personal control is the most important improvement that needs to be made. Furthermore, 57 percent of the respondents are "not confident at all" that Congress can amend and approve a new healthcare reform bill, while 36 percent said they are "somewhat confident." The overall sentiment of the survey showed that respondents are weary of the proposed changes. More notably, consumers are in need of education on their current health plan options and any new updates that may impact their spending. 

Specific to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), the survey found that 45 percent of health plan professionals believe that consumer understanding of their health plan coverage changes for the better when consumers have an HSA-based plan vs. a non-HSA-based plan.

"The findings reinforce the premise that consumer-directed healthcare makes Americans better healthcare consumers improving the way they manage their health and healthcare spending, due to a greater understanding of their plan," said Chad Wilkins, EVP, Webster Bank, Head of HSA Bank.  "Although there is significant improvement that needs to be made to Americans' understanding of healthcare, we are optimistic that HSAs and CDH plans, when combined with ongoing education and tools that compare cost, quality and value, can close this gap."  

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Note to Editors

HSA Bank conducted a proprietary survey at a national industry conference in June 2017. Survey participants included health plan professionals. Percentages are based on 326 responses.

About HSA Bank:
HSA Bank is a trusted leader in consumer-directed healthcare (CDH), focusing on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for over two decades and serving as both the bank and administrator. Discover how we can support your benefits strategy with our comprehensive account-based health benefit solutions that include HSAs, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), and Commuter Benefits. With a reputation for outstanding service and thought leadership in the CDH space, we offer one platform and one portal for all of our members. HSA Bank inspires over 2 million members and more than 35,000 employer groups to own their health by making it easy to access, understand, and afford healthcare. HSA Bank has $6 billion in assets under management with nearly $5 billion in HSA deposits and over $1 billion in investment assets, and is a division of Webster Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.

Media Contact:
Alice Ferreira
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SOURCE HSA Bank